The call of community keeping community safe isn’t new. It sounded most recently in Zohran Mamdani’s acceptance speech after winning the mayoral election Tuesday, when he declared, “To get to any of us, you will have to get through all of us.” But it has long been a key belief and call-and-response among activists in New York and elsewhere.
For award-winning Harlem-based filmmaker Shawn Batey, this became clear during the 2020 Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests. They became the foundation for her documentary project “WE KEEP US SAFE,” short films featuring five activists in the BLM movement in the city. One of the films, focused on costume designer and trans activist Qween Jean, will be screened at the Queens World Film Festival this week.
A longtime producer and director, Batey’s documentary films have been shown at institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art and Maysles Documentary Center in Harlem, as well as on college campuses. Her work has also been distributed by Third World Newsreel and Kweli TV. Her feature-length documentary “Changing Face of Harlem” was shot between 2000 and 2010 and examined the transformation of her neighborhood through the lens of residents, clergy, small business owners, politicians and developers.
Epicenter NYC spoke with Batey about building trust while documenting movements, the challenges of filmmaking and the value of helping young people see themselves as leaders in their communities. Excerpts of the interview have been lightly edited for clarity.
Epicenter NYC: The title of the film project has such a collective identity feel. Can you speak about where that came from?
Batey: The title came from a chant on the streets: “Who keeps us safe? We keep us safe!” When you showed up at protests early on, you didn’t know what could happen, but you could rely on the people next to you. Over time, you’d see familiar faces — activists, organizers, safety support. The five people featured in the project are those who kept us safe.
Epicenter NYC: When you started participating in the protests, did you know right away you were going to be documenting them for a film?
Batey: It was probably around May, maybe that Friday after things went down, and I knew a friend who was out protesting. It was the middle of the pandemic, and I thought, “What am I doing?” But once I went out that first day, that was it. I couldn’t stay home while everyone was witnessing the death of George Floyd over and over.
I had to shoot, even though I’m not necessarily a shooter. After a day or two, I realized this was such a profound movement. I was filming from within, not on the sidelines. The energy was raw — nothing like I’d seen in New York City for such a long time.
Epicenter NYC: So you kind of lived in that world?
Batey: Yes, my daily life that summer of 2020 was just on the streets. It slowly died down in 2021, but I stayed connected to people in the movement.
Epicenter NYC: How did you pick the activists?
Batey: It really came from my relationships with them. I wanted to show what drove them to become organizers or activists, to give a personal point of view. I couldn’t have made this film without being on the streets all the time and building close relationships. I didn’t just show up for a news clip; I was there walking five miles, in the heat and the cold.
The project also includes work from 25 to 27 photographers I met documenting the movement. I wanted it to be a showcase of photographers and videographers: a photo portrait, image-driven, but rooted in trust and relationships.
Epicenter NYC: How did you decide on that structure and focus?
Batey: Originally, I was doing small interviews, but I realized I didn’t want to just hear people talk. I wanted the images to speak for themselves. When I got a couple of grants, I knew so many people had amazing photos that deserved to be seen.
I had a lot of video footage, but I don’t consider myself a photographer. I wanted to make a project that showed the community made this. Not ABC or CNN, but people who did this on their own time. This is the story of us.
Epicenter NYC: Could you describe a particularly challenging moment during production?
Batey: I’m not an editor, so organizing the drive for the editor was the hardest part: thousands of photos, each needing photographer and date info. Mind you, I had broken my finger. I spent a ton of time organizing. It was crucial, because you can’t find anything otherwise.
Epicenter NYC: How do you think living in Harlem informs your filmmaking?
Batey: When I made the Harlem documentary, people wanted to know my perspective. I made it clear I’m a Black female and a Harlem resident — that helps with trust. People here value authenticity. That same trust carried into “WE KEEP US SAFE.” You have to show up, be consistent and let people feel that you’re genuine.
Epicenter NYC: Could you speak to the relationship between “Capture the Movement,” a photo exhibit you curated, and these short films?
Batey: That’s another thing that amazed me: how it all came together. Capture the Movement really started around August or September 2020. Everyone was posting their photographs from protests on tiny screens, one by one.
Qween Jean would say at protests, “What are you going to do besides show up?” And I thought, I’m just going to see who responds to a post. So I said, “Looking for Black photographers who have images from the protests.” That’s how it started. It just took off. It was something I’d never done before, but I’ve worked in the industry for about 30 years, so I’m used to pressure. All these photographers trusted me. It really came down to character, vision and how you communicate that vision. These people didn’t know who I was and still sent their photographs.
Epicenter NYC: What are your hopes for the impact of these films?
Batey: I have a couple of festivals coming up. My target audience is really teenagers – high school and college students – to help them see themselves as leaders in their own communities. I want them to see themselves in one of the characters — maybe the trans activist, or Hilena, who’s an Ethiopian immigrant. Especially now, in these unpredictable times, with attacks on the press, on journalists, on democracy, on free speech, I hope people walk away inspired.
Epicenter NYC: Looking ahead, what’s next for “WE KEEP US SAFE”?
Batey: Next week is a big week for me because I get to see how people react to the films. Because there are five shorts, each can fit in its own niche. My bigger hope is to show them all together. My dream is to have an installation, so it’s not just a one-time screening, but an experience people can walk through and share. That’s where I want to challenge myself and my work.
Epicenter NYC: Anything else you’d like to share about the process or the films?
Batey: It’s important to know I’m a documentary filmmaker, but it’s extremely hard to make films these days. I also work in film and TV — I’m a union member — so I float between two worlds. It’s challenging. You have to make a living. The film and TV industry has grueling days. You get grants, but they’re never enough to cover everything. I’m proud of my union work, but filmmaking isn’t easy.
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You can catch “WE KEEP US SAFE, Qween Jean” at the Queens World Film Festival at Kaufman Astoria Studios’ Zukor Screening Room, 34-12 36th St., Astoria, on Nov. 14 at 8:30 p.m. Find out more about the film screening at this link.
Learn more about Batey’s work and how to support her at https://www.shawnbatey.com.
